I'm always a bit cautious whenever beginning a book or series with so many gushing reviews seeing as I've been burned before. But in my opinion, The Bear and the Nightingale absolutely deserves all the hype. This was simply LOVELY.
From the very first chapter, I was completely captivated by the image of an older woman huddled by the fire on a cold night as she recounted the tale of Frost/Morozko to a group of equally enthralled children. As someone who was unfamiliar with that story, I flew through the chapter at an alarming pace. After such a fantastic beginning, the subsequent chapters did slow in the overall pacing as the focus shifted between various family members and locations, but I was still just as invested in learning more about these people and the mystical creatures living with and near them. While I understand how some readers could become frustrated with these lulls, none of these ended up being pointless as they either painted a rich picture of daily life in this village or helped to set up later events.
This historical fantasy read like a well-known and beloved folk/fairy tale. The writing was just beautiful and it completely drew me into the world of medieval Russia. I could clearly imagine the lands of Lesnaya Zemlya, the courts of Moscow, and even the magical house that was not there. While it is currently winter and cold where I am, reading this made me feel even colder with its detailed descriptions of the icy winds and frozen woods. Listening to the audiobook, I felt like I was being read a bedtime story - both cozy and familiar. I couldn't help but be entranced chapter after chapter.
Apart from the writing, the star of the story is without a doubt Vasilisa Petrovna. It was a joy seeing her mature from a silly, mischievous child to a brave young woman. I loved her spirit and kind heart. She consistently demonstrated great concern for others - whether human or chyerti - and she always looked for ways to help her family and community no matter how it might be viewed by others. She knew what mattered to her and her determination was admirable.
Throughout the book, there is not only a focus on Vasya and her relationships within her family, but on the various chyerti (mythical creatures) that inhabit the lands. I found this aspect fascinating and I adored how Vasya interacted with them, discovered things that they liked or needed from her, and learned skills from them. I also loved how the story told by Dunya in the first chapter played an important (but sometimes subtle) role in the overarching plot.
Most of the other human characters weren't quite as complex or interesting as Vasya, but unlike traditional western European fairy tales where many of the side characters are bland and one-dimensional, the ones here were more nuanced and realistic. For example, while Anna had moments when she behaved like the stereotypical fairytale stepmother, I understood her conflict and recognized some rational behind her actions despite my great dislike for how this affected Vasya.
One of my biggest issues was getting used to the many names and nicknames that each character had. Also, as I listened to the audiobook, my mind would sometimes drift off and I'd have to go back and relisten to certain sections. Despite those minor drawbacks, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates immersive storytelling that intertwines history and fantasy. Persevere through the slower sections, because I promise it will be worth finishing.
P.S. Don't be like me and read 25% of the book pausing on every other page to look up an unfamiliar Russian word before realizing there's a glossary in the back. 😅
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